I just joined the site today and I've been browsing the forum for a couple hours, it's quite addicting.
I have two questions that I have not seen the answers to and was wondering if someone could help me.
First, I love the look of the silver dragee balls and would love to use them on a cake but I know that they are not edible? So how does that work? Do you take them off when you are cutting and serving the cake? Or tell everyone not to eat them? I don't understand what the norm is for that.
Also, I have seen several people talking about using a "roller" for buttercream to make it very smooth very easily. What is this all about? Does anyone have a link to this?
Thanks alot!
Dragees are edible. They are just very, very hard. I think that most people remove them before serving the cake. I would hate to take a chance of someone biting into one & braking a crown or a tooth.
The "roller" method for smoothing buttercream is also called the "Melvira" method (she's the CC member that created it). You can find a lot of info on it by doing a forum search or looking at the article. Basically, you just wait for your buttercream to crust and use a HIGH DENSITY small paint roller to smooth. You can find them @ most hardware stores.
There's other ways of smoothing buttercream as well. You will find what works best for you. I would highly suggest Sugarshack's "Perfecting the Art of Buttercream" dvd. It's worth its wgt in gold:
http://www.sugaredproductions.com/buttercreamdvd.html
I really appreciate the response, I'll have to start looking harder for posts on the roller method.
Also, on any websites I've looked on, all of the colored Dragees are edible EXCEPT silver and gold. For example if you look on GSA it says under the silver and gold dragees that they are NON edible where as the white, pearl, and other colors say that they are edible.
Thanks again!
I always tell my cake eaters that they may want to pull off the dragees, as they are hard and really have no flavor. I buy my dragees at Fancyflours.com. Here's their description:
Dragees are classified as non-edible and for decoration only by the FDA in the United States because they contain minute quantities of heavy metals. However, they are non-toxic and safe for use on food and are considered edible in many countries outside of the U.S. where they are consumed on a variety of confections. Please note: These cannot be shipped to California.
Anyway, I've also dusted plain white ones with gold and bronze Wilton pearl dust. They turned out okay, just not super shiny.
Welcome to CC - if you need anything just ask. We're more than happy to help.
Here is a link to the Melvira Method...
http://cakecentral.com/articles/126/quick-easy-smooth-icing-using-a-roller-melvira-method
I really appreciate the response, I'll have to start looking harder for posts on the roller method.
Also, on any websites I've looked on, all of the colored Dragees are edible EXCEPT silver and gold. For example if you look on it says under the silver and gold dragees that they are NON edible where as the white, pearl, and other colors say that they are edible.
Thanks again!
I've ate a lot of dragees 
We used to put them on sugar cookies all the time.
Wow I really appreciate all the responses. It's really great that everyone takes the time to help eachother out on here! Especially some of the people with such talent and knowledge to share, it's very much appreciated.
Thanks for all the dragee input and I'm really excited to try the Melvira method for buttercream! I'm a huge fan of the look of fondant but my family always picks it off and complains that they would rather have buttercream but the look is just never the same! So I can't wait to give that and the VIVA method a try.
Like I said I just signed up today and I've been looking for a cake forum for a while now and nothing ever really jumped at me but I found this one today and I was ADDICTED at work haha oops!
Again, I really appreciate the responses and I'm greatful that some of the people of your caliber took the time to respond!!
I have dragees in every concievable color and size !LOL they are edible. Never heard anyone say otherwise, My kids love them... I use them on buttercream by piping a dot of gel where i neet them and apply them with tweezers! Only thing dangerous about them is slipping and sliding on the ones I drop on the floor! SLIPPERY LITTLE BUGGERS!!!
welcome
Mike
I remember being told as a child not to eat the silver balls. That made them all the more appealing. 
Isn't that terrible!
silver is a toxic metal that can build up in the body over time and cause problems.
Here read this:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/12/23/MNGS03SUEM1.DTL
This warning from Sugar / craft .com
Gold, Silver and Copper, from the ICES newsletter 7/04:
We're reading lately that silver, gold Ind copper dragees are to be used as `decoration only" because, per the FDA, they contain trace amounts of metal (ie: silver). Although people do consume dragees in some parts of the world, some culinary professionals are recommending they be removed before serving, selling or eating any confectionary treat garnished with them.
Federal and state authorities list silver as toxic at certain levels. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declared dragees as nonedible and re-quires jars to carry labels saying they're "for decoration only."
I remember being told as a child not to eat the silver balls. That made them all the more appealing.
Isn't that terrible!silver is a toxic metal that can build up in the body over time and cause problems.
Here read this:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/12/23/MNGS03SUEM1.DTL
This warning from Sugar / craft .com
Gold, Silver and Copper, from the ICES newsletter 7/04:
We're reading lately that silver, gold Ind copper dragees are to be used as `decoration only" because, per the FDA, they contain trace amounts of metal (ie: silver). Although people do consume dragees in some parts of the world, some culinary professionals are recommending they be removed before serving, selling or eating any confectionary treat garnished with them.
Federal and state authorities list silver as toxic at certain levels. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declared dragees as nonedible and re-quires jars to carry labels saying they're "for decoration only."
Just goes to show... eventually everything we've done for centuries,will eventually be prove "harmful" and somebody will make millions suing someone else for doing it. Hey i rode a bike for 35 years without a helmet,I'm still here! hell I do things that are "dangerous everyday! like getting out of bed! Mike
Yup. That's pretty much the way it goes. Ignorance is bliss, hey?
I hope no one is taking offence to the info... I left out what I would do or any personal advice on purpose... cause I don't like to fight. 
You can lead a horse... but not make him drink.
I appreciate the input, it makes me feel a little better to know that people are eating them anyway haha but I just didn't know how to approach the situation when it was a cake for a client. I don't want to get sued or something if they eat the silver dragees and then later find out they aren't "FDA edible." ya know?
Then don't use them. Or use them in a clever way...
I have seen them as a band around the base of each tier which just looks amazing. You could have each tier on a thicker that usual base the same size as the cake and ice/fondant down over that( giving the illusion the cake is taller) and place the dragees on that area. That way when cut and served the dragees would still be on the board and not on the cake slices.
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